Grader for vending-machine checks



Sept. 23, 1930. H. M. HENDERSON I rGRADER FOR VENDING MACHINE CHECKS Filed Feb. 4, 1929 Sept. 23, 1930. H. M.- HENDERSON GRADER FOR VNDING MACHINE CHECKS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Fei. 4, 1929 NNM/ Sqn. 23, 1930.

H. M. HENDERSON GRADER FOR VENDING MACHINE CHECKS s sheets-sheet s Filed Feb. 4, 1929 35 vice in assembled condition.

Patented Sept. 23, 1,93()

Unirse ,STATES HARRY M. HENDERSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

GRADER Fon vENnING-MACHINE c-HEcKs Application filed February 4, 1929. Serial No. 337,378.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in sorting or grading devices, and particularly to devices for gradingv the j checks used in vending machines.

In vending machines, such as those which sell merchandise, and those which render telephone service, coins are deposited with- `in the machines for the purpose of operating the machine. Unscrupulous persons, who

seek to obtain'something for nothing, resort to the use'of-slugs which have the size and shape, andthe approximate weight of the proper coinsnecessary to successfully operate the machines.L Thousands of dollars are lost, to 'theowners of the machines, by the use of these slugs." n

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide adevice whereby these slugs may be graded,in accordanceA with their size, shape/,and magnetic qualities, as

well as weight, so that slugs which do not measure up tothe proper qualification will be returned to the depositor, before they can enter the machines.

Another object is'to provide a. device of this Vcharacter which is adapted to be used in connection with any Vofi the vending machinesnow in use. A`

Other objects and advantages vwill be ap- '30 parent from the 'following description when taken in connection Vwith the accompanying drawings. y j

In the drawings: v

Figure l is a perspective view of the `de- Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view on the line 2-2gof Figurell;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

40 Figure 4L is a transverse sectional view on the line i-.f4 of Figure 1.VV j

AFiguren?) is an elevation of a portion of the device, certain parts being shown in `dotted lines. j j Figurel is an elevation of the plate which carries the weighting means. Y

Figure' 7 is an elevation ofthe reverse face of the plate `which carries the magnet. Figure 8 is a perspective view showing all of the plates in position to be assembled.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings, and especially `to Figure 8, it will be seen that the Adevice is made lup of a series of plates, designatedV by the letters A, B,`C, C,and D, which are assembled in the manner shown in Figure 1, and secured together by means of the screws orV bolts 10. 'It' will be noted,`however, that the plates C and C are secured together, so 'that they. form a unit, for a purpose which willappear later herein. The upper end of the plate A is' formed with an integral reduced neck porl tion ll, while the plates B and C have similar neck portions 12 vand 13,-respectively, all of said neck portions being of theV same width, as clearly seen in Figure 1, it being noted that the neck portion 11,of the plate A is slightly shorter than the other neck Y portions, and has its vupper end formed with a downwardly curved face 111, and arecess 15,l in` itsrinner face, i opening upwardly l through the upper end thereof, such recess being `approximately one-half of the thickness thereof, and corresponding to the thicky ness of the proper coin for operating the machine with which the device is to be used. In the inner face of the plate A, adjacent one vertical edge thereof, there is formed a longitudinal recess 16, the upper portion of which is of approximately twice thedepth of the lower portion, as clearly seen in Figure 8, the lower end of said recess opening through the bottom of the plate, for discharging the slug, as shown at 16, and as will be explained later herein. `The neck .portion11, of the plate A,'has an opening therethrough, as shown at 17, to permit the introduction of the linger of the operator for the purpose of pushing the check inwardly from the recess 15, so that the check will vfall through the device, to be properly graded. j Y

Inthe neck portion 12, of the `plate B l .there Yis formed a circularopeningV 18,' which is just enough larger than the proper coin 9 or check, to permitsuch coin or check being easily passed therethrough. AlsoV formed through the plate B, adjacent the vertical edge opposite Vtothat of the recess 16, of thev plate A, is an angular opening 19, the lower 10G bul wall of which is beveled, as at 20, on the tace of the plate which bears against the plate A, while the upper wall is beveled on the opposite face ot the plate. rfhis opening' is provided to permit slugs or coins of the proper size to readily pass therethrough. The other tace of the plate B is cut out to 'form a large recess 21, the upper end of which' communicates with the opening 18, by means of a passage 22, whereby a coinv or check passed through said opening 18,` will fail down through said passage into the large recess. The lower portion olE the recess 21 has an outlet channel 23, which is directly below, and in a vertiical'line with, the passage 22, for the passage ol checks which have been graded and found undesirable, and lacking one or more ofthe requirements necessary to operate the mach-ine. 1n the approximate center ot' the recess 21 there is formed Aa boss 24, whose thickness is equal to that oli -upper tace of the boss 2li is formed with a recess 29 which receives the saidv linger, when the member 26 is overbalanced by a coin or check ot the proper weight falling thereon. The upper lace of the boss2el, beyond the recess 29, and adjacent the angularopening 19, is formed in an inclined plane which forms a continuation of the upper tace of the linger 27, when said linger lies within the recess 29, whereby to form an inclined runway for the checkto roll to, said opening 19, Vwhen said member 26 is overbalancedby a check. Checks which are not heavy enough to cause the member 26 to be overbalanced so that the linger 27y moves into the recess 29, will roll toward the weighted end of the member, by reason of the fact that the upper 'face ot the linger is formed with a slight elevation, shown at 30, towardthe free end thereof, and the shoulder 31, of which lies directly below the center oit the passage 22, so that when a check drops from the passage 22 it will fall on the said shoulder. It the check is ot the proper weight it will tilt the member 26 and roll down the finger 27, whereas if it is too light, the member26 will not be tilted to a degree to permit the rolling of the check, as above mentioned,lbut such check will roll down the member 26 toward the weighted end,r and drop therefrom, whereby to follow the adjacent side wall of the large recess 21, and linally be discharged through the outlet channel. 23, outside oi" the machine. Thus a check is stationary, in balanced position on the shoulder 31, for an instant, so that the weight of the check can be properly determinedl` such check completely tilting the members 26, it of the proper weight, and rolling oil the outer end of the finger, or, it not of the proper weight,

failing to tilt the member, and rolling oli in the other direction. Thus the check is graded according to weight, as it passes through the device, such check falling into the machine to canse the operation thereof, il. ot the proper weight, or being` discharged from the machine, if it is not ol the proper weight.

The member, or plate C-C, has formed in the tace which bears against the plate B, in covering relation to the recess 21, a vertical elongated recess 32, such recess being formed wholly through the plate C, and in the plate C', in opposition to the recess or opening 32, and in the inner wall thereof, there are termed openings 33. In the opposite 'tace ol? the plate C there is formed a recess 341, of a size and shape to properly receive the horseshoe magnet 35, the ends or poles of such magnet being arranged in covering relation to the openings 33, whereby.

such magnet may attract any magnetic slugs which may tall on the tiltable member 26. The recess 21 is ol approximately the depth, corresponding to the thickness of a proper check, and the recess 32 is ot the same depth, so that when va check formed from magnetic metal. rests for an instant on the member 2G, the time elapsing being sullicient to permit the magnet to attract the check out of the recess 21, into the recess 32, so that the check may drop to the loweiI endr of said recess 32, and be deflected off thebeveled face 36,v at said lower end, to be ultimately discharged through the outlet channel 23; ormed on Vthe face of the plate ,CK-CQ in which the magnet is seated, and at one side oil said magnet, is a casing 37. Formed through the plates C and C', .directly opposite the angular opening 19, is a vertical elongated, and comparatively narrow slot 38, and pivotally mounted in said casingr37, is a weighted member 39, the upper forward end of which is lormed with pair of vertically alined projections l0 and Ll1, which extend through the said slot 33 for engagement by-a check falling past said slot 38 and opening 19. This member is provided to take care of slugs which have openings in their centers. l/Vhen a check, in the lorm of a washer having a central opening, and being of `the proper thickness, diameter and weight drops on the member 26, such check will cause the tilting ot such member, whereupon the check will roll'oli' theend of the linger 27, and as it passes-the slot 38, the advanced edge of the check will engage the lowerprojection, which extends beyond the face ot the plate, so .that the member 39 will be rocked, andthe upper projection 4() pass into the'opening of the check. The check will hangy on the projection 40, whereby to continue the rocking of the member 26, until the check drops from said projection, into the recess 21, and thence out through the opening 23. Thus the check is permitted to fall past the slot 38, and out ,plates have been properly assembled, and

secured together, such plate D serving to i hold the magnet within its recess.

From -the foregoing it will be seen that when a slug is inserted inthe upper end of the recess 15, the check will drop to the bottom of such recess and remain there, until the operator inserts his finger in the opening 17, and pushes the check into the upper endV of the passage 22, whereupon :the check falls upon the shoulder 31. If thecheck is of the proper weight, for the successful operation of the machine with which the device is used,the member 26 will be overbalanced so that the linger 27 will be swung downwardly intothe recess 29. The check will then roll down `on the upper face of the elevated portion 30, and the inc-lined portion of the boss 24, until it abuts the adjacent wall of the recessl 21, and lies opposite the opening 19, when said check will engage the projection 41, ot the member 39, causing said member to be rocked on its pivot, whereupon the upper projection 40 will push the check through the opening 19, into the recess 16,

from whence it escapes from the device by" way of the lower open end 16 of said recess, and into the machine to be operated. Should, however, the checkhave a central opening, its weight upon the member 39 will permit the upper projectionV 40 to pass into the opening of the check, so that the check will tail to pass through the opening 19, but will escapeby way of the outlet 23. If the check is too light to tilt the member 26, such check will roll oiin the weighted end ot'vsaid nember and escape through the outlet 23. It the check is of iron, steel, or other magnetic material, and'is of the proper diameter and thickness, its momentary pause on the shoulder 31 will be sutlicient to permit the magnet to drawpsuch check out of the recess 21,`into the recess 32,V whereupon thecheck will tall down and be deflected by the beveledface 36, into rthe outlet channel 23, and out of the machine. Checks which fall through the opening 19, `into theV recess 1G,` are of the proper weight `to operate themachine,'and williall from the lowerend of said recess 16, into the proper coin receptacle, within the machine, not shown..`

The first test of the check is 'for thickness, asthe check must be of thegproper thickness to pass into the upper end of the recess 15.

The second test is for diameter, which is made when the operator inserts `his finger in the opening 17 and pushes the check from the recess 15 so that it may pass through the opening k18. The third test is for. weight, which is made when the check falls upon the weighing member 26. ItV the` check has an opening therein the member 39 will act upon the check tocause the latter to pass through the device, `and be returned to the operator. The-same means which acts upon the apertured check to cause the same to be returned to the operator serves to deflect the check of proper dimensions and weight to the machine with which the device is associated. The test tolmaterial is accomplished by the horseshoe magnet. Ii the check is of magnetic metal it will be'attracted by the magnet and deiiected into a channel which will ultimately discharge the check from the device. Thus, practically all checks of an undesirable nature, and which will not successfully operate the machine, willbe discarded.

hat is claimed is: Y

1. AV device for grading vending machine checks comprising a weight Vtesting lever on which a check is adapted to fall for imparting an initial rocking movement to the lever,

means on the rocker for engagement with the check to prevent further movement or return movement of the rocker until the weight of the check determinesthe direction'in which said rocker-'will rock, and means for determining the fall of the check and thereby the impact thereof against said lever.

2. A device for `gra-ding vending machine checks according to weight including a member having a check receiving opening, a rocker beneath the opening having a linger provided with an intermediate shoulder on which the check is adapted to fall, said rocker being arranged to be rocked if the Vcheck is of the proper weight whereby said check will roll alongsaid finger, said check being adapted Vment'in Veither direction on the rocker until the weight of the check determines whether the rocker shall continue its rocking movement to discharge the check in one direction or resume its normal position to discharge the check in another direction, and means comprising a check supporting ledge for governing the tall of the check.

4. A device for grading vending machine checks comprising a member having` a recess `and an opening for passing aches-k into the recess, and a Weighted rocker mounted be neath the opening, said rocker having,` a shoulder on which a cheek falls from said opening to `,give an initial rocking movement to the rocker, whereupon the Cheek Will rest against said shoulder until the Weight of the check determines whether the rocker Will Continue its rocking movement and discharge the Check in one direction, or resume its normal position and discharge the cheek in another direction. `,In testimony whereof, I aiix my Signature.

' `HARRY M. HENDERSON.y 

